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In his youth Reb Israel, son of Reb Yossele Slutsker, wanted to become a Hasid. He ran away from Slutsk, from his father, a traditionalist to Kydenov and sought out a rabbi. There he attached himself to Hasidim and became one of their number. The Hasidim thought very well of him because Reb Israel was a prodigy. He was very hot headed but his father was a traditionalist. He did not remain there long. The Hasidim did not really care for someone from a Misnaged root.

During that short period with the Hasidim Reb Israel recited a Torah portion on the “Splendor of the Sabbath”, which was very deep and difficult to understand or explain. The crowd of Hasidim did not understand it. After Havdalah several men went over to the Rabbi to ask him to explain the Torah portion.

Yes, said Reb Israel, I will explain. He directed them to the window. He pointed to a hole and asked them ; What do you see there? A hole, they answered. – right said Reb Israel. Today I will take a tool and make another hole in it. What will that be called? – A hole in a hole. – A Hasid seized the idea.

Ah! So this is meaning of the “Splendor of the Sabbath.”

Reb Mendele Slutsker was a Gaon of the people. However, he had never been a rabbi, and never wanted to be one. For many years he was in Reb Iserke's school. He ran a Yeshiva and was occupied with Torah “Tsvelftl”: The twelve subjects that the rich Iserlen felt were imperative. Reb Mendele's custom was to go every day with his students to the house of Iserlin for a drink. Reb Mendele often made merry. There was tea for everyone, as much as they wanted. When they were finished he would then have his.

Once an emissary came to Slutsk and went to see the rich man. He saw a group of Jews sitting at a table drinking tea, and a small Jew invited everyone who came in to join them at the table. The emissary thought he certainly was a servant of the rich man. He sat down with the people and asked for a glass of tea. As he was an avid tea drinker, he asked for glass after glass. He spoke to Reb Mendele as if he were indeed a servant. The people stared at him but no one said a word.

Sabbath morning, after praying, it was the custom to go again to the house of the rich man for the Kiddush. When everyone was seated around the table Iserlin and Reb Mendele would arrive. Everyone would stand up and wish the rich man and the head of the yeshiva a good Sabbath. The emissary had gone there with the people and he saw that the rich man was with the little Jew. Then to his surprise everyone stood up to wish him a good Sabbath.

He then becomes very curious.

Who, he asks, is that Jew?

He is, several answered, Reb Mendele.

It becomes dark before his eyes. He had treated Reb Mendele as a servant. He ran immediately to Reb Mendele.

Please forgive me, I have no excuse. I did not know....

What offense have you made? Reb Mendele. asked.

I did not know know who you were, said the emissary. I did not treat you properly.

I do not understand, said Reb Mendele with humility. How have you sinned against me that you ask my pardon. You asked me for a glass of tea, so I gave you one. On the contrary I have to thank you. I had the opportunity to do a good deed.

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The publisher of the writing was the librarian of the well-known Strashan Library in Vilna.

The grandchild of the great Gaon Reb Mordechay'le Ashmener, or Slonimer was he himself a great student and wise man. Lunski had the opportunity to study with him and familiarize himself with Judaism, Jewish Gaonim and prominent people. Chaykil Lunski gave out the following work Toldot Hagaon, Rabbi Mordechai Veizel (Hebrew), Vilna 5677, Tipusim Vetzelilim MehaGhetto HaVilnai, Vilna 5681: Gaonim and Prominent People from the Near Past, Vilna 5691. He put an entire series in the newspapers about this. He also did a series on the same subject in the religious weekly paper, “The Word” which gave the chapter from the holy text about the era of Reb Yoshe-Ber in Slutsk. In the thirty years that Mr. Peretz Wernick was the chief editor of the New York Morning Journal, he was strongly interested in publishing the series in his newspaper. The arrangements were made through the writer of these lines, a personal friend of the two great men, who incidentally did not know each other personally.

Mr. Wernick respected his Vilna colleague and his treasure of Yiddish folklore. Unfortunately Mr. Peretz Wernick died and the matter became null and void.

There should be a moment for the noble soul of Mr. Chaykil Lunski which came together with the heartfelt and Yiddish Vilna.

When the beloved Slutsker rabbi, the Goan Reb Yossele Peimer, died in 1864 the community began to look for a rabbi for Slutsk. This was easier to say than to accomplish. A rabbi in Slutsk had to be a worldly Gaon, because almost all the earlier rabbis were like that. Furthermore he had to possess other great talents and above all cleverness.

The leaders of the community had an eye on the Rabbi Yosef Dov the son of Rabbi Yitzchak Zeev Halevi. He was not a rabbi but rather the chief of a Yeshiva in Volozhin, and because of this his name rang all over the Yiddish world.

Exactly one year before he had an argument with the most important person in the chief yeshiva in Volozhin, Reb Hersh Laybe, or as they called him the Netzi'v.This had caused a feud. which spread from the town to the Litvisher Torah-world. The feud became so strongly felt that the entire issue was given over to a rabbinical court, in which the Gaon participated: Reb Yossele Slutsker together with Gaonim Reb David Tebl Minsker, Reb Velvele, the Vilna city preacher, and the youngest off the group rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan, who was then rabbi in Novhorodok.

Despite the greatness of the rabbinical court and the confidence which both saintly men had in it, Reb Yoshe-Ber still felt that their judgment was only a compromise and he was not pleased.

As a grandchild of Reb Chaim Volozhiner, and himself a great Gaon, clever and outstanding with an excellent character, the Slutsker leaders considered if he was a proper candidate for their rabbi and sent to him a “letter” inviting him to come to Slutsk.

N.VV

After the argument Reb Yoshe-Ber did not want to be head of the Yeshiva in Volozhin. Moreover, since he had later received a “ Rabbinic License” from Slutsk, he took the job and became rabbi in the year 1868.

In Slutsk he became very beloved., depite the fact that he was a leader with a very strong hand. He befriended the poor and above all the bright students.

At that time an evil decree was issued from the recruiter. It was understood that they would take mostly children from the poor families, because the rich would pay many hundred ruble to save their children. Reb Yoshe-Ber put all his efforts into helping the poor and good students, He never rested and day and night he ran around collecting money in order to rescue the poor from military service.

They tell: once the recruiters grabbed a Yeshiva boy, but he escaped from them and he ran into a synagogue and hid himself under Reb Yoshe-Ber's prayer shawl. Reb Yoshe-Ber was afraid they would punish him for allowing this. He told the young man to hide elsewhere and later he would buy him a receipt to keep him out of the army. The Yeshiva boy was afraid to go away, so the rabbi told him to go hide in his house.

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The recruiters knew about this and went to Reb Yoshe-Ber's house. Their leader went in with a brazen attitude to convince the Rabbi to hand over the young man.

When the rabbi heard this, he called out to his son to get a stick. I will show this young man what comes from running away The Rabbi's anger and the raised stick somehow affected the leader, so he opened the door and shouted to the others: No one is here. From now on we will know that a scholar is wise in many ways.

I also heard that once a young man came to Reb Yoshe-Ber who was not too bright. He began to cry and begged the rabbi to save him from the military service. Reb Yoshe-Ber immediately ran to a rich man and borrowed money from him. Later the rich man came to him with complaints: The young man is supposed to go in the army. Reb Yoshe-Ber answered:-- If I wanted to make him a rabbi, then you could complain that he is too stupid to learn. Instead I made him a non soldier and you could complain that he would not make a very good soldier either.

Reb Yoshe-Ber devoted himself, not only to ransoming, but also to generally assisting the poor. He literally would give away his last mouthful of food.

It was told^[1]: Once a wagon driver, who was a resident of Slutsk, came to Rabbi Yoshe-Ber before Passover. He wept with bitter tears, “A misfortune has occurred, Rabbi! I was idle an entire winter, not earning a groszy. Now, before Passover, when people need to travel and one can earn something for the festival, my horse has fallen down.”

“Go to my barn,” R Yoshe-Ber told him, “Take my cow, go to the market, and exchange it for a horse.”

The eyes of the wagon driver lit up. He did not hesitate. He went to the barn, took the rabbi's cow, and set out with it. A while later, the Rebbetzin entered the barn to milk the cow, but it was not there. She ran into the house and cried, “Yoshe-Ber, our cow has been stolen!”

“It was not stolen,” responded Rabbi Yoshe-Ber innocently, “It is here.”

“Where is it?” she asked.

“If the Jew has not yet exchanged it, it is with the Jew,” responded Rabbi Yoshe-Ber. She looked at him, “What Jew? What exchange?”

Rabbi Yoshe-Ber explained the entire story to her, that he had given the animal to a poor Jew, so he can earn his bread. She continued on with her complaints:

“Tell me, we had one cow Where will we get a drop of milk?”

“See,” responded Rabbi Yoshe-Ber, “You have bread, you also want milk, while the poor Jew, unfortunately also has no bread? Is that proper?”

Later, the Slutsk tax collector sent him a cow with milk.

Several weeks later, the tax collector came to Rabbi Yoshe-Ber with a request that he issue a ban on meat slaughtered from the outside. Rabbi Yoshe-Ber did not agree. He immediately called the Rebbetzin and said, “Send the animal back to the tax collector immediately, and pay him for the time that you milked it….”

Once, a Slutsk wagon driver came to Rabbi Yoshe-Ber and cried, “Rabbi! My horse died, what shall I do?” Rabbi Yoshe-Ber asked him, “How much does a horse cost?” he responded, “Fifty rubles.” Rabbi Yoshe-Ber called out, I have fifty rubles of salary with me. Take it and purchase a horse. When the people of the city found out that he had given away his entire salary and had nothing with which to live, they began to pay his salary to the Rebbetzin.

Once before Passover, a Jew came to Rabbi Yoshe-Ber with the following question, “Rabbi, can I fulfil the commandment of the four cups with milk?”

“Are you perhaps sick?” asked Rabbi Yoshe-Ber to the Jew.

“I am healthy, blessed be G-d,” responded the Jew. “Wine, however,” he said with a half mouth, “Is far too expensive for me.”

Rabbi Yoshe-Ber called in the Rebbetzin and told her to give twenty-five rubles to the Jew. Naturally, at first the Jew did not want to take this money. He had come to ask a question, and not, Heaven forbid, to beg. Rabbi Yoshe-Ber, however, urged him strongly and said that the was giving this as a loan. When the Blessed G-d will help him, he can return the loan. Then he took the money.

When the Jew left, the Rebbetzin asked him, “Why did you give him a full twenty-five rubes, when one can purchase wine for the four cups for two or three rubles.”

“What do you not understand,” responded Rabbi Yoshe-Ber, “You heard that the Jew asked whether he could fulfil the commandment of the four cups with milk. If he had

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provisions for Passover like other people, with fish and meat, he would not be able to drink milk at the Seder. This was a sign that he was unable to make Passover, so I gave him twenty-five rubles for Passover.

The following story was told about Rabbi Yoshe-Ber's generosity.

Once, Rabbi Yoshe-Ber was traveling from Slutsk to Volozhin. They had sent the town shamash with him with fifteen rubles for expenses, for they did not trust him with money, as he was liable to give it all away for charity.

Along the way, as they were in the wagon, the shamash noticed that Rabbi Yoshe-Ber was looking at an old Jew with great joy, giving him great honor and calling him rebbe. The shamash asked him who this rabbi was. Rabbi Yoshe-Ber responded, “That is the rabbi who taught me the alef-beit. He came to me asking that I help him. He has to marry off a daughter. Therefore, give him the money for expenses, so that I can fulfil the mitzvah of hachnasas kalla [providing for poor brides].

The shamash called out, “Rabbi, from where will I get money for expenses?” Rabbi Yoshe-Ber responded, “We will borrow.” The shamash asked further, “Who will lend to us along the way.”

When Rabbi Yoshe-Ber saw that the shamash wanted to thwart him, he said to him, “I order you to give my rebbe fifty rubles…”

Once, Rabbi Yoshe-Ber spent the Sabbath in an inn while on a journey. In the inn, the two loaves of bread for the third Sabbath meal [shalosh seudos] were not there for Rabbi Yoshe-Ber. They hurried to purchase bread. Rabbi Yoshe-Ber sat and waited. “Rabbi,” one of the guests called out, “We know that one can fulfil the commandment of the third Sabbath meal with words of Torah, as well. What is the commotion today? Tell us some words of Torah. You will fulfil the third Sabbath meal, and we will hear a good piece of Torah.” “You are correct,” said Rabbi Yoshe-Ber. “However, I am afraid that my Torah words will be diverted, and I will remain both without Torah and without the third Sabbath meal…”

Rabbi Yoshe-Ber used to give the following explanation about why Misnagdim fast on the day of yahrzeit, and Hasidim make a feast with a lechayim.

Before the giving of the Torah, when Jews did not know how to learn, and they saw that Moses our Teacher was late, they surmised that he had passed away, and they made a feast: “And the people sat down to eat” [Exodus 32:6]. Year later, when Moses our Teacher indeed passed away, it was already after the giving of the Torah. Jews knew how to learn, and they did not make a feast. They only observed mourning, as it states in the verse: “And the Children of Israel wept over Moses.” [Deuteronomy 34:8].

Rabbi Yoshe-Ber was not always of the same mind as the Slutsker tycoons. Once, a women came to him weeping, “Rabbi, have mercy. I had a dream that my only son had gone crazy.”

“Do not cry, my daughter. This is a sign that he will become a tycoon… Because all the tycoons are crazy.”

The rabbi said this about the tycoons of Slutsk. At that time, he remarked about the tycoons:

“You, wealthy people of Slusk, interpret the dream of the woman. Tell her that her son will become a rabbi… Because you believe that the rabbi is crazy…”

Aside from being a genius and a philanthropist, Rabbi Yoshe-Ber was a wonderful Tzadik, holy and pure – so much so that he was considered to be a miracle worker. Various stories were told about this.

Rabbi Yoshe-Ber was also awesome in his exactitude in fulfilling the commandments. He was a wonderful Tzadik. For example, it is told that he used to harvest the shmura wheat^[2] himself, and grind it with a hand grinder. Then he would put it [i.e. the matzos] in the oven for such a long time that it would be half burnt. He would eat no more than a few kezayits^[3]. Incidentally, he also had the custom, stemming from his great-grandfather Rabbi Chaim Volozhiner, of dipping a kezayit of matzo into wine at the Seder and eating it, in order to demonstrate that moistened matzo is permitted^[4], in accordance with the custom of the Vilna Gaon. Not only did Rabbi Yoshe-Ber occupy himself with mitzvot himself, but he also searched out others to merit them with mitzvot.

It is told: Once an emissary [for charity] came to Rabbi Yoshe-Ber on the eve of the Sabbath. Rabbi Yoshe-Ber invited him to stay with him for the Sabbath. On Friday before candle lighting, Rabbi Yoshe-Ber said to his guest: “You should forgive me, I am asking for five kopecks from my guest.” On Saturday night after Havdalah, Rabbi Yoshe-Ber gave the emissary the five kopecks. The guest recognized that this was the same coin that he had given to the rabbi. He said, “Do not be offended, Rabbi, if I ask: Why did you borrow the five kopecks from me? I see that you did not even use it.” Rabbi Yoshe-Ber answered, “You are certainly a travelling man. You always travel around,

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when can you fulfil the commandment of giving charity? When does a Jew ask you for a loan? I wanted to grant you the merit of that mitzvah…”

Reb Yoshe-Ber once came to Minsk for a visit. The Minsker scholars came to welcome him. They wanted to discuss the Torah. Among the scholars there was a young man, a Minsker shopkeeper, who once was his student. When he heard that his Rebbi was in the city, he immediately came to see him. Reb Yoshe-Ber befriended him and they sat together.

– How are you? – He asked him, – I live well and have not much to complain about. I am healthy and make a good living.

They sat and talked with the other people.

A little while later Reb Yoshe-Ber asked the young man again:

– How are you? – Blessed be the Lord. – The young man answered again that he was healthy, made a living, and they talked further. Several minutes later, the Rebbi asks the young man how he is for the third time.

– I have no problem answered he young man, a little annoyed that he was asked the same question three times. I told you that I am healthy and make a good living.

– No! said Reb Yoshe-Ber – You answer me only about practical matters. I asked you how your are and you tell me you are healthy and have enough money. What I want to know is do you give charity?. Do you study Torah?. Are you involved in Yiddishkeit?

There was a rich contractor in Slutsk and he was very religious, but also very stingy. He sometimes went to the Rebbi's study house to pray, reciting his prayers. Only donations were difficult for him to give. Reb Yoshe-Ber knew him well, but not one time did he make a donation because of his stinginess.

“Kol Nidre” when most of the people went home and only a small group of earnest Jews remained in the shul for an entire night, the rich man stayed also. He said the hymn of the unity of G-d with the people. He recited with the people a few daily assignments of psalms and made sure that Reb Yoshe-Ber should hear this.

Before morning while the people rested up a little, in order to get ready for the morning prayers, he went over to the Rabbi and called out: – What do you say Rebbi? It is hard to be here up a whole night and stand on our feet.

Listen – said Reb Yoshe-Ber. You are a contractor and work with the government quite a bit. You have knowledge about the military and the way it works. I will ask you a question. There are a variety of sections. There are horsemen and artillery. Each has its own job and each its own place. So I will ask you what happens if one soldier does the job that is not his. For instance, if a horseman decides to become one of the foot soldiers?

This soldier receives severe punishment – replied the Jew. He broke discipline. Why do you ask Rabbi?

– Because this applies to you. We know that the Kingdom of earth has its counterpart in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Rabbis of the people also have different tasks: to teach Torah, Service and Charity. You had been given control over wealth and your job was to give charity. Your job was to give generously to help poor people and follow the law of the Torah. Otherwise you could not lie in your soft bed and sleep. Saying prayers and learning is for the poor people who become soldiers in the mastery of torah. What did you do? You went away from the job of charity to stay with the poor Jews an entire night. It was preposterous, unheard of. You did not hear what it was that you should do on their behalf. So what do you think is coming to you?

One time the tax collector fell in on Reb Yoshe-Ber with great shouting. – Rabbi they are bringing meat from another place into the city. What is all the commotion about asked the Rabbi?

– Let us not have any anger smiled Reb Yoshe-Ber According to the logic of a minori ad majus (an inference from minor to major). It is quite understandable (with sarcasm) since we eat the meat of the slaughterers we know, we surely are permitted to eat the meat from slaughterers we do not know.

Reb Yoshe-Ber did not approve of the excessively religious people. One time he saw that one of them had washed before eating and threw away two full quarts of water.

– A pity on this Jew, smiled Reb Yoshe.

– He throws he entire reverence for G-d out with the slops.

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What is the novelty in this? – asked Reb Yoshe-Ber. The truth always wins out! – Rabbi, what are you talking about?, asked the members of the congregation who were observing him. You call heresy the Truth!!! – “Please understand me,” responded Reb Yoshe-Ber, “the heretics are truly heretics and that is why they are successful, but the honest Jews are not truly honest.”

While Reb Yoshe-Ber was rabbi in Slutsk, there was in Minsk a great Cantor, who sometimes gave lessons for the students. Reb Yoshe-Ber thought very well of him. He always praised him, saying he was a rarity, a distinguished teacher.

One time the Cantor said to Reb Yoshe-Ber, with a smile:

– You know Rabbi, when you praise my teaching, you actually do me a disservice, but not on purpose. – For instance? – asked Reb Yoshe-Ber. The people, – said the Cantor, always hear your praise of my teaching. Therefore, my cantorial singing is not worthy of praise?

– If this is so, said the Rabbi, then I must consult some experts about your cantorial singing. If I am caught in a lie regarding your cantorial singing, then they also will not believe what I say about your teaching.

Reb Yoshe's second wife died in Slutsk. It was told that when his wife died Reb Yoshe-Ber began to examine his actions. Perhaps he was very stressed out. Maybe he should do something to honor Reb Hersh Laybe after the quarrel in the Volozhin Yeshiva. He decided that he wanted to give something special to Reb Hersh Laybe, in order that he would forgive him.

As Reb Hersh Laybe knew that Reb Yoshe -Ber was in great pain. he came to Slutsk to comfort the mourner. Reb Yoshe-Ber told him what would like to give him whatever he wanted, in the hope that he would forgive him.

Reb Hersh Lab answered, give me your son Reb Chaim for a son-in-law. So Reb Chaim became the son-in-law of Reb Refael – Reb Hersh Layb's son-in-law.

Later Reb Yoshe-Ber was married for the third time to a woman from Warsaw.

In 1875 Reb Yoshe-Ber left Slutsk and went to Warsaw, where his third wife lived.

There he received great respect and they immediately wanted him to serve as Rabbi. However, since he had not been born in Poland he could not become their Rabbi. It was simply not possible. Instead he became the head of the Yeshiva of the Talmud Society, where for three years he gave a lessons in the study house. and all the great and honored people from Warsaw came to listen to his Torah discussion .

It is told that a Warsaw rich man, a Hasid traveled to visit a Rabbi in another town. Conversationally the Rabbi said to the rich man: Do you know that now there is a Great Gaon in Warsaw? The rich man asked who he was. The Rabbi answered that it was the Slutsker Rabbi....

When the rich man was in Warsaw he sent a message to Reb Yoshe -Beer that from that day on he wanted the honor of paying the salary he needed to live. Reb Yoshe-Ber did not want to take this money. It did not seem right to do so.

It was told that while he was in Warsaw without salary or a rabbinate, he once met a Jew on the train from that good city Brisk.: that good city. Since Brisk was searching for a Rabbi, the man began to discuss it with R 'Yoshe-Ber asking him to consider taking the job as the Brisker Rabbi.

First, some years ago when Reb Yehosha Laybe left Brisk, a delegation of Brisker Jews came to Reb Yoshe-Ber with deliberation to become their Rabbi.

When this was heard in Warsaw, there was a great to do, and by no means did they want to lose the great Gaon the Gerer Rabbi. The Gerer Rabbi was also called theSfas Emes which was the name of his writings. All the rich and prominent people of Warsaw organized to insure that Reb Yoshe-Ber remained in Warsaw. A delegation of these people went to plead with Reb Yoshe-Ber not to leave Warsaw and go to Brisk. A feud began between Warsaw and Brisk regarding the Slutsker Rabbi. When the Brisker people saw that Reb Yoshe-Ber began to waver about coming to them, they said to him: Rebbe, thirty thousand Jews are waiting for you.!

Hearing these words, he put on his coat: Thirty thousand Jews waiting for me!

In the year 1878 he became the Rabbi in Brisk.

After Reb Yoshe-Ber left Slutsk and Reb Jacob David came there, they happen to meet traveling in the same wagon. They, of course, talked about the Torah.

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They both argued, and Reb Jacob left the wagon and sat on the coach box. next to the driver and this is the way they arrived in town. The townspeople were astonished: Two rabbis on a trip and one sits in the coach and the other sits on the coach box.

They said shalom to the one who sat on the coach box. Shalom Aleichem Rabbi.Where do you come from and who is the Rabbi sitting in the coach? – I am -- Reb Yoshe-Ber Brisker who sits in the wagon. and it is not according to his status for Reb Jacob David that I should sit with him, so I sit with the coachman.

Don't believe him – Reb Yoshe-Ber sticks out his head and yells, I am Reb Yoshe-Ber and he is Reb Jacob David!

– Rebbi – says Reb Jacob David, it will not help you. They know your modest person.

While Rebbi Jacob David was rabbi in Slutsk, he was always arguing with the town that they did not hold him in esteem, and the shopkeepers always caused him trouble!

Once the townspeople asked him – Why are you sitting in Slutsk? Why don't you look for another rabbinate?

I will tell you – answers Reb Jacob David – In Hell there are seven divisions. Why are there seven? Is there not enough suffering with torture for evildoers with one division in hell? The answer is this. When the sinner become used to his

division of Hell, he ceased to suffer so much. So he is sent to another division of Hell with other kinds of torture and suffering.

Slutsk is really Hell for me. However, I am already used to it. A new town will be a new Hell for me with new suffering. –

He was a people's Gaon and a totally good man. He was the rabbi in Slutsk for a few years.

When his grandchild, a girl, began going to gymnasium, Reb Meyer, said to the rabbis. – If I could not – he said – be a teacher in the right moral way with my own children, how can I be a teacher to an entire community of Jews.

The Slutsker rabbi was a very hospitable man. His home was open to everyone. A guest came to Slutsk: a rabbi. a preacher, an emissary, who had to stay with Reb Meltzer. Meanwhile the Bolsheviks overtook the government, and closed the Slutsker Yeshiva. Reb Isser Zalman Meltzer did not notice and continued to teach Torah quietly.

One time before Shabbat two Red soldiers arrived. and arrested Reb Meltzer.

As they are taking him to the market he saw the Nesvizsher emissary.

He asks the soldiers to stop for a while to call over that old Jew. He wants to say something to him. The soldiers granted his request.

As the emissary came over, Reb Meltzer said to him: – Reb Abraham Yitzhock, I beg you, do me favor and celebrate Shabbat in my home for me.

Translator's (Jerrold Landau) footnotes:

1. This story is essentially the same as the Hebrew version on page 128. Return
2. For the baking of matzo shmura for fulfilling the commandment of eating matzo on Passover. Return
3. A kezayit [olive size] is a halachic volume that defines how much matzo must be eaten to fulfil the commandment at the Seder. Return
4. Matzo sheruya (gebrochts in Yiddish) is matzo that has been in contact with water. Some people, especially in the Hassidic communities, feel that such matzo is forbidden on Passover, other than on the eighth day. Return

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